There has been known for a number of years a machine generally similar to a sausage stuffer for inserting meat into wrapping or enveloping means for the purpose of improving its appearance at the point of sale. One popular embodiment of this concept involves enveloping the meat in a netting material which may either be tied at the ends or which may by appropriate resilience of the material from which it is made contract at the ends for at least partial closure thereof.
In such machines, it has been conventional to apply a tubular piece of netting over a generally tubular shell and permit one end of the netting to extend over the end of the shell for partial closure thereof either as above mentioned by its own resilience or by tying. The meat is then forced, as by a ram, through said shell against the constricted end of the netting and out of the shell. As the meat so moves against the end of the netting and out of the shell, it draws the rest of the netting with it with the result that when the meat is pushed all of the way out of the shell, the netting is wrapped around the meat and the trailing end may then either be constricted, the same as the leading end, by tying or by its own resilience.
This system of wrapping meat has been effective for many years but is subject to the inconvenience of applying the netting over the shell. If said netting is nonresilient, it is easier to apply to the shell but then the operator must take the time to effect tying of each end. If the netting is resilient in order to effect the constricting of the ends automatically, then it is more difficult to apply over the shell.
In order to meet this latter problem, means have been developed by which a resilient netting is applied to the shell mechanically. This works effectively but involves an intermediate step and extra equipment. In addition to the expense of the equipment, it requires the personnel operating the enveloping machine to expend the necessary amount of time for applying a wrapping onto the enveloping machine for each cycle of operation thereof. This as a practical matter means that the butcher usually effects such application and this not only results in relatively high-priced personnel doing a routine job but also slows the operational cycles of the enveloping machine.
Accordingly, the objects and purposes of the invention include the following:
1. To provide means adaptable for use with an otherwise conventional meat wrapping machine for quickly and easily applying a wrapping blank in operative position with respect thereto. PA1 2. To provide means, as aforesaid, in the nature of a cartridge which can be slipped quickly and easily onto an otherwise conventional meat wrapping machine. PA1 3. To provide means, as aforesaid, wherein a meat enveloping means, as a piece of tubular netting, may be quickly placed in operative position with respect to an otherwise conventional meat wrapping machine without the interposition of other manipulation-requiring apparatus. PA1 4. To provide means, as aforesaid, for shortening the operating cycle of a meat wrapping machine. PA1 5. To provide means, as aforesaid, which will improve the sterility of a meat wrapper by reducing the handling required thereof in connection with applying same to a meat wrapping machine. PA1 6. To provide means, as aforesaid, of simple structure so that it will not increase the operating time and/or complexity of meat wrapping operation.
Other objects and purposes of the invention will be apparent to persons acquainted with apparatus of this general type upon reading the following specification and inspection of the accompanying drawings.